Installing docks, piers, swim platforms, and gang planks is often a complicated, time consuming, and messy process. For instance, building these structures typically requires multiple persons using ratchets, clamps, chains, and various other tools in an effort to obtain a structure that is properly aligned and level. Some structural designs require the builder to enter the water in which the structure will stand, and it is not uncommon for these builders to become completely or partially submerged in the water and in some cases can lose valuable equipment while installing a dock, pier, swim platform, gang plank, or other similar structures.
Because gang planks, piers and docks are generally built to facilitate the transportation of goods and persons over water or wetlands, it is critical to avoid mistakes during installation because mistakes can cause individuals or valuables to fall and/or become lost. In other words, mistakes during installation which cause the structure to be uneven, unstable, or otherwise unsound can be both disastrous and costly. Correcting such problems associated with improper installation can also be difficult, time consuming and costly.
Appropriately, docks, planks, swim platforms, or other similar structures must be reliable, durable, safe, mobile, and aesthetically pleasing. Reliability is especially important to weak swimmers who rely upon such structures to keep them from falling into water and in a terrible scenario drowning. Such structures are also frequently relied upon as a device for leaving water and again must be reliable to protect people from drowning. It is also critical that such structures be durable against damage from repetitive and continuous use, and damage from the elements. These structures are frequently kept outdoors and accordingly can be exposed to a multitude of weather conditions over extended periods of time.
Deterioration occurs more rapidly when docks, piers, swim platforms and the like are held underwater because they are more susceptible to widespread invasion by aquatic life, damage from debris, and corrosion from prolonged exposure to water (i.e. rust). Therefore, it is important that docks, piers, and swim platforms have the ability to rise and fall to meet changes in water level, so that these structures are not held under water at periods of time when the water level might normally surpass the top of the structure.
It can be necessary to remove docks, piers, swim platforms, and gang planks in order to protect them from seasonal changes (i.e. freezing water). It may also be desirable to remove or disassemble any of these structures for cleaning, repair, or during periods of non-use. For this reason, it is advantageous that such structures can be taken apart or modified easily. Furthermore, it is advantageous that such structures have the ability to stack or be compiled for compact storage. These features improve the overall mobility of a given structure, and are therefore desirable to consumers.
Individuals may require multiple uniquely sized docks, piers, swim platforms, or gang planks in order to accommodate variously sized water crafts, multiple water crafts, or to fit around certain objects (i.e. large stones, fallen trees, and man-made articles). Today most of these types of structures cannot be modified with ease, or they are capable of only limited modifications.
There is a continuing effort to make improvements upon existing designs for docks, piers, planks, platforms and other similar structures. In particular, there is a need for structures which can be transported as a kit of component parts that can be easily constructed into customized configurations. It would be of added benefit if such a structure, such as a dock, pier, gang plank, swim platform, or the like, could be assembled into the desired configuration by a single person without needing the assistance of others.